Lawrence public school students begin returning to class on Aug. 16 with the regular schedule for students in first through 12th grades beginning Aug. 17.

Gone will be the quiet days of summer, which will be replaced with heavy traffic on major thoroughfares and longer lines at some businesses. And good luck finding a parking space on Massachusetts Street on the first pass.

Moving trucks are a common sight in early August in Lawrence as Kansas University students return for the fall semester. Gabe Holcombe and Liam McNamara moved boxes and furniture into their apartment Tuesday morning. KU classes start Aug. 17.

"I don't dread it and I don't rejoice," said Kris Fancher, a Douglas County resident who has grown used to the annual change. "I just deal with it."

Businesses welcome the onslaught.

"It gives me something to do - other than standing around," said Brian Papa, cook at Pyramid Pizza, 701 W. Ninth St. "I make better tips when they're back."

Now is the time to get an oil change, said Brendan Sullivan, owner of Meineke Car Care Center, 2535 S. Iowa.

"We're a little quieter," he said. "We have a huge pickup in the fall."

More about the students' return

There's a calm before the storm at Images Salon and Day Spa, 511 W. Ninth St., according to receptionist Helena Peter.

Once the students return, patrons should try to make appointments in advance rather than hoping to get squeezed into the schedule on the day they call, she said.

And patrons at the Juice Stop downtown should expect to see crowds - not just from college students, but the junior high teenagers who flock to the joint after early dismissal on Wednesdays, Beck said.

"That's when it becomes a madhouse," he said.

Reader poll

What do you think about the return of students to Lawrence?

Great! They add vitality to the city, and help make the town what it is.

Awful! It means longer lines, more traffic and too many late night noises.

Several business owners said they beefed up their staff to deal with the crowds, rather than make customers suffer long waits.

Sunflower Broadband, which is owned by The World Company, brings in extra staff and has other employees work longer hours to keep up with calls and new orders for cable, Internet and phone service, said Joe Ryan, director of sales and support.

"It's really business as usual, but it's on steroids," Ryan said.

The rush began in late July and continues into August, he said. This Saturday will be a busy time inside the Sunflower lobby with customers in line, Ryan said.

Ryan suggested customers who want to miss the rush make their orders online or come to the office before 10 a.m.

"The student population has a different daytime (schedule)," he said.

Coming Saturday

Look for the KU Edition - a look at student life, academics, sports, entertainment and more at Mount Oread - inside Saturday's Journal-World.

Year-round residents are used to the influx of students each August. Some make slight changes to their routines to deal with the inflated population.

"I have to leave earlier and watch more closely to how I'm driving," said Marina Reever, a Lawrence resident. "Not everyone is paying attention, so I have to pay attention."

But some students don't know what the fuss is about if traffic is busy and businesses are lively.

I agree with theDude...The city of Lawrence wouldn't be as great as it is without the students. Besides the fun and outgoing spirits of students, think about success and academics. Just think, if there weren't students, there wouldn't be top scholars or amazing projects adorning the city and Lawrence would be about as uneducated and fun as Manhattan.

I'm glad to hear some of you appreciate the University and its students. I cannot stand residents that complain about the traffic and students when they live in a college town. Some complain about the traffic and people as if this was the first time it has happened. No matter when you moved to Lawrence, you knew what you were getting into so quit complaining.

"The city of Lawrence wouldn't be ......." Good points, jayhawk0105. Without KU, Lawrence would be Ottawa or smaller. The university and our proximity to JOCO mall shopping are Larryworld's greatest assets.

I moved to Lawrence when my husband was a student. We lived in the 9th and Tennessee area. We didn't notice the traffic problems and congestion until we moved to the Prairie Park area. Maybe it was because we were older or becoming parents, but it always seems August is more congestive and crazy than other times of the year because of the moving trucks and crazy parent cart drivers.

PS... I'm not a student. I just work downtown and it's amazing how much slower business is during the summer. If it remained like this all year I have no doubt that most of the businesses would go under.

I don't notice as much of a difference the past number of years as I did when I first moved to Lawrence back in the 1980's (to attend KU, by the way). I don't think quite as many students leave town during the summer as used to.